Media Release

Monday 1 September, 2003

Heavy Winds Leave Department of Defence Unable to Prevent Dust Falling on Homes Around Bundock Street Decontamination Site

It has been claimed that the heavy winds of last week (August 24th) left many homes around the Bundock Street Defence Force Site soiled with "black dust" from an asbestos decontamination program.

Greens Councillor Murray Matson is claiming that the dust was caused by the Department failing to wet down areas of sub soil that it has exposed as part of efforts to remove asbestos fragments from the site.

Cr Matson has written to the Mayor of Randwick calling for him to bring the matter before a Council meeting so that Councillors can pressure the Department to:

• To make full financial restitution to residents for the damage and cleaning;
• To pay for full testing of affected homes to ensure that they are not contaminated with fibril asbestos; and ·
• To adopt an adequate water hosing strategy capable of ensuring that air borne dust does not leave the clean up area.

Cr Matson said this week,

"Its not 'work in progress', its 'joke in progress'. Defence has removed the top soil and grass, apparently to expedite the removal of asbestos fragments that contaminate the site.

What's the point of trying to decontaminate a site if you are then going to sit on your hands and allow wind to blow it all over all over neighbouring homes? There must have been a better way to do it."

Clr Matson claimed that the Department's contractors, "Fitzwalter",

"...gave the impression on being unprepared for the need to commence watering down the site on Sunday the 24th when the winds were at their height."

He stated that,

"Apparently Fitzwalter belated attempts to respond degenerated into a farce when the only available hose was found to be leaking."